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Amtrak Pacific Surfliner
The train from Los Angeles to San Diego is the rare case where public transit beats driving on time, cost and comfort — especially on a Friday afternoon when the I-5 is a parking lot.
Last updated
The train from LA to San Diego takes about 2 hours 45 minutes on Amtrak's Pacific Surfliner, running roughly a dozen times a day from Union Station to San Diego's Santa Fe Depot. Coach fares are typically $40–$50 one way, and the downtown-to-downtown trip needs no rental car on either end.
Travel time
2h 40m–2h 55m
Coach fare
~$40–$50 one way (cheaper booked ahead)
Departures
About 12 round trips daily, roughly hourly at peak
LA station
Union Station (Metro B/D lines, Metrolink)
SD station
Santa Fe Depot — Trolley, COASTER, harbor, Gaslamp walk
Driving comparison
120 miles, 2–4 hours depending on traffic
| Option | Door-to-door | Typical cost | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pacific Surfliner | ~3h | $40–$50 | Downtown-to-downtown, no car needed |
| Driving | 2–4h | $25 gas + $30–$55/day parking | Groups, luggage, side trips |
| Flying | ~3.5h with security | $80–$180 | Rarely worth it on this route |
| FlixBus / Greyhound | 3–4h | $15–$30 | Cheapest option |
In LA, Union Station is served by the Metro B and D subway lines, the A and L light rail, Metrolink and FlyAway buses from LAX. In San Diego, Santa Fe Depot sits on the Trolley's Blue and Green lines, one block from the harbor and a 10-minute walk from the Gaslamp Quarter — you can be at your hotel without a car.
Sit on the right side heading south from LA. The highlight is San Clemente through Oceanside, where the tracks run directly along the sand, followed by the Del Mar bluffs just before Solana Beach.
About 2 hours 45 minutes on the Pacific Surfliner between LA Union Station and San Diego's Santa Fe Depot.
Coach fares typically run $40–$50 one way, dropping when booked in advance; Business Class adds roughly $20–$30.
Yes — it's downtown to downtown, avoids I-5 traffic and San Diego parking costs, and both stations connect directly to local transit.
Roughly a dozen Pacific Surfliner round trips daily, with departures about every hour during peak periods.
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Written and fact-checked by the Sandi Spots Editorial team — San Diego residents publishing under Sleep Coast LLC. Every place we recommend has been visited in person or verified against an official source, and no business can pay for inclusion or a higher ranking. Last updated .